The present invention relates to the field of folding puzzles; particularly, to folding puzzles that are useful for advertising and are interactive.
Advertisers have long-recognized the need for advertisements that are interactive and capture the target audience""s attention. Such long-felt needs have been particularly prevalent in advertisements that are often discarded as xe2x80x9cjunk mail.xe2x80x9d It has long been recognized that puzzles often capture the full attention and concentration of their solvers, yet advertisers have been slow to adopt puzzles as an advertising medium.
Numerous prior art devices have recognized the demand for creative sectional and folding picture puzzles games. Sectional picture puzzles typically consist of a plurality of cards that when joined together in a particular fashion form a larger image. Folding picture puzzles generally form an image, or series of images, when the puzzle is folded along a series of predetermined lines.
Folding picture puzzles are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 2,327,875 to Edborg, U.S. Pat. No. 2,655,382 to Belsky, U.S. Pat. No. 3,267,597 to Jannes, U.S. Pat. No. 4,170,355 to Finkin, U.S. Pat. No. 5,445,380 to Polsky, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,735,520 to Matos. The ""875, ""382, ""597, ""355, and ""380 can generally be classified as non-fold-through puzzles. A fold-through puzzle is one in which an aperture is formed through which the remaining portion of the puzzle is ultimately passed once folded or oriented correctly.
Non-fold-through puzzles, while they can be clever, all suffer from the same serious drawback: Their mode of operation is obvious even to the most casual observer. They rely on simple over-folding to bring apparently incongruous features into proximity to produce a clever result. A typical example is that of the ""875 patent, where over-folding allows the puzzle worker to create four animals"" heads.
Fold-through puzzles operate on a different principle. The casual observer of this type of puzzle is immediately struck by an apparent paradox. Intuitively believing that it is physically impossible to pass part of a piece of paper through itself over and over again, the puzzle worker finds himself or herself drawn into repeating the puzzle over and over again in search of discovering the xe2x80x9ctrick.xe2x80x9d The puzzle solver finds in remarkable not to have to, at some point, unfold the puzzle in a reverse direction. The simpler the puzzle appears, the more baffled the puzzle solver becomes, and as a result, the more intrigued with the puzzle and more inclined to continue laboring over it. Simplicity begets attention, making a simple fold-through puzzle an ideal advertising medium, as it is difficult to put down.
The ""520 patent discloses a fold-through puzzle. The apertures of the various embodiments disclosed in the ""520 patent are all created from a plurality of incisions interior to the puzzle periphery. However, the folding patterns required by the various ""520 embodiments are rather cumbersome and complex, therefore not desirable for a number of applications wherein the ultimate goal is to capture the users attention for a period, perhaps for as little as a few seconds, while ensuring that the user does not become frustrated with the complexity of the device.
Accordingly, the art has needed a means for improving the art of fold-through picture puzzles. While some of the prior art devices attempted to improve the state of the art of fold-through puzzles, none has achieved the unique and novel configurations and capabilities of the present invention. With these capabilities taken into consideration, the instant invention addresses many of the shortcomings of the prior art and offers significant benefits heretofore unavailable. Further, none of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
In its most general configuration, the present invention advances the state of the art with a variety of new capabilities and overcomes many of the shortcomings of prior devices in new and novel ways. In its most general sense, the present invention overcomes the shortcomings and limitations of the prior art in any of a number of generally effective configurations. An object of this invention is to provide an advertising medium in the form of a fold-through puzzle that is both clever and amusing and that engages the puzzle solver long enough for the solver to be adequately exposed to an advertising message. An additional object of the invention is to provide an amusing puzzle, with no advertising or other message on the puzzle.
The fold-through puzzle of the instant invention enables a significant advance in the state of the art. The preferred embodiments of the apparatus accomplish this by new and novel arrangements of elements that are configured in unique and novel ways and which demonstrate previously unavailable but preferred and desirable capabilities.
The detailed description set forth below in connection with the drawings is intended merely as a description of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, and is not intended to represent the only form in which the present invention may be constructed or utilized. The description sets forth the designs, functions, means, and methods of implementing the invention in connection with the illustrated embodiments. It is to be understood, however, that the same or equivalent functions and features may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention. The fold-through puzzle of the instant invention includes at least one planar member and a plurality of fold lines, such that the puzzle may be manipulated to create the illusion that paper is being endlessly passed through itself. In one of the many preferable configurations, the fold-through puzzle incorporates, among other elements, at least one planar member.
In one of the many preferable embodiments, the fold-through puzzle incorporates, among other elements, a first planar member, a second planar member, a third planar member, and a fourth planar member. In this embodiment, the puzzle includes a plurality of planar members as follows. There is a first planar member having a first surface, a second surface, a first fold line, and a second fold line. There is a second planar member, substantially coplanar with the first planar member, having a first surface, a second surface, a first fold line, and a second fold line. Similarly, there is a third planar member having a first surface, a second surface, a first fold line, and a second fold line, wherein the first planar member second surface and the third planar member second surface are joined in part at a first joining location and the second planar member second surface and the third planar member second surface are joined in part at a second joining location.
There is a fourth planar member, substantially coplanar with the third planar member, having a first surface, a second surface, a first fold line, and a second fold line wherein the first planar member second surface and the fourth planar member second surface are joined in part at a third joining location and the second planar member second surface and the fourth planar member second surface are joined in part at a fourth joining location.
The fold-through puzzle may be configured such that the first joining location joins a third planar member first joining area and a first planar member first joining area. The second joining location may join a third planar member second joining area and a second planar member first joining area. The third joining location may join a fourth planar member first joining area and a first planar member second joining area. The fourth joining location may join a fourth planar member second joining area and a second planar member second joining area.
The arrangement of the planar members is such that the first planar member may pivot about the first fold line of the third planar member and the first fold line of the fourth planar member. The second planar member may pivot about the second fold line of the third planar member and the second fold line of the fourth planar member. The third planar member may pivot about the second fold line of the first planar member and the second fold line of the second planar member. The fourth planar member may pivot about the first fold line of the first planar member and the first fold line of the second planar member.
The fold-through puzzle may be configured such that the first planar member is substantially rectangular and formed with a first edge, a second edge, a third edge, and a fourth edge. In such configuration, the second planar member may be substantially rectangular and formed with a first edge, a second edge, a third edge, and a fourth edge. Similarly, the third planar member may be substantially rectangular and formed with a first edge, a second edge, a third edge, and a fourth edge; and the fourth planar member may be substantially rectangular and formed with a first edge, a second edge, a third edge, and a fourth edge.
In terms of relationships between the planar members, the fold-through puzzle may be configured such that the first planar member first fold line and the first planar member second fold line are substantially parallel to the first planar member second edge. In one particular embodiment, the first fold line may be located approximately one quarter of the length of the first planar member first edge away from the second edge and the second fold line may be located approximately three quarters of the length of the first planar member first edge away from the second edge.
Similarly, the second planar member first fold line and the second planar member second fold line may be substantially parallel to the second planar member second edge. The first fold line may be located approximately one quarter of the length of the second planar member first edge away from the second edge and the second fold line may be located approximately three quarters of the length of the first planar member first edge away from the second edge. Thirdly, the third planar member first fold line and the third planar member second fold line may be substantially parallel to the third planar member second edge. The first fold line may be located approximately one quarter of the length of the third planar member first edge away from the second edge and second fold line may be located approximately three quarters of the length of the third planar member first edge away from the second edge.
Lastly, the fourth planar member first fold line and the fourth planar member second fold line may be substantially parallel to the fourth planar member second edge. The first fold line may be located approximately one quarter of the length of the fourth planar member first edge away from the second edge and second fold line may be located approximately three quarters of the length of the fourth planar member first edge away from the second edge.
Joining may be by means of adhesives, mechanical fasteners, or such other joining methods as would be understood feasible by one skilled in the art.
Additionally, the fold-through puzzle may be configured such that the third planar member first joining area is bounded by the third planar member first edge, the third planar member second edge, the third planar member first fold line, and an imaginary line extending from substantially the midpoint of third planar member first fold line to substantially the midpoint of the third planar member second edge. The cooperating first planar member first joining area is bounded by the first planar member first edge, the first planar member fourth edge, the first planar member second fold line, and an imaginary line extending from substantially the midpoint of first planar member second fold line to substantially the midpoint of the first planar member fourth edge.
Similarly, the third planar member second joining area is bounded by the third planar member first edge, the third planar member fourth edge, the third planar member second fold line, and an imaginary line extending from substantially the midpoint of third planar member second fold line to substantially the midpoint of the third planar member fourth edge. The cooperating second planar member first joining area may be located on the second planar member second surface and is bounded by the second planar member first edge, the second planar member fourth edge, the second planar member second fold line, and an imaginary line extending from substantially the midpoint of second planar member second fold line to substantially the midpoint of the second planar member fourth edge.
Additionally, the fourth planar member first joining area is bounded by the fourth planar member first edge, the fourth planar member fourth edge, the fourth planar member first fold line, and an imaginary line extending from substantially the midpoint of the fourth planar member first fold line to substantially the midpoint of the fourth planar member fourth edge. The cooperating first planar member second joining area is located on the first planar member second surface and is bounded by the first planar member first edge, the first planar member second edge, the first planar member first fold line, and an imaginary line extending from substantially the midpoint of first planar member first fold line to substantially the midpoint of the first planar member fourth edge.
Lastly, the fourth planar member second joining area is bounded by the fourth planar member first edge, the fourth planar member second edge, the fourth planar member second fold line, and an imaginary line extending from substantially the midpoint of fourth planar member second fold line to substantially the midpoint of the fourth planar member second edge. The cooperating second planar member second joining area is located on the second planar member second surface and is bounded by the second planar member first edge, the second planar member second edge, the second planar member first fold line, and an imaginary line extending from substantially the midpoint of second planar member first fold line to substantially the midpoint of the second planar member second edge.
As the mechanism of the puzzle illusion is the creation of an apparently endless numbers of pass-throughs, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the manipulation of the puzzle may be begun in many possible orientations. By way of example and not limitation, the puzzle may be successfully manipulated in the following steps, with folding directions given in relation to the puzzle solver facing the puzzle.
The puzzle may be held in front of the puzzle solver with the first planar member and the second planar member oriented vertically with the first planar member first surface oriented towards the solver and on the solver""s left side and the second planar member first surface oriented towards the solver and on the solver""s right side. The first planar member may then be rotated to the left and outwardly, around a rotational line connecting the third planar member first fold line and the fourth planar member first fold line. This maneuver exposes the outer aspect of the first planar member second surface, the left lateral aspect of the third planar member second surface, and the left lateral aspect of the fourth planar member. The second planar member may then be rotated to the right and outwardly, around a rotational line connecting the third planar member second fold line and the fourth planar member second fold line. This maneuver exposes the outer aspect of the second planar member second surface, the right lateral aspect of the third planar member second surface, and the right lateral aspect of the fourth planar member.
Next, the fourth planar member may be rotated upwards and outwardly, around a rotational line connecting the first planar member first fold line and the second planar member first fold line. This exposes a portion of the fourth planar member second surface, an additional portion of the first planar member second surface, and an additional portion of the second planar member second surface. Next, the third planar member may be rotated downwards and outwardly around a rotational line connecting the first planar member second fold line and the second planar member second fold line. This exposes a portion of the third planar member second surface, an additional portion of the first planar member second surface, and an additional portion of the second planar member second surface.
The puzzle solution continues by rotating the left lateral aspect of the third planar member and the left lateral aspect of the fourth planar member about a rotational line connecting the third planar member first fold line and the fourth planar member first fold line, and by rotating the right lateral aspect of the third planar member and the right lateral aspect of the fourth planar member about a rotational line connecting the third planar member second fold line and the fourth planar member second fold line. This exposes the full surface of the third planar member first surface and the full surface of the fourth planar member first surface.
The puzzle solution may then be completed by rotating the third planar member downwards and outwardly about a rotational line connecting first planar member second fold line and the second planar member second fold line, and by rotating the fourth planar member upwards and outwardly around a rotational line connecting the first planar member first fold line and the second planar member first fold line. This returns the puzzle to its original configuration, completing the puzzle and fostering the illusion that the paper has been passed through itself. The process may be repeated a countless number of time, with each repetition serving to further engage the puzzle solver in deciphering the illusion.
In another one of the many preferable embodiments, the fold-through puzzle may be constructed from a single, incised, planar member. Such a configuration, because it uses a single planar member, increases the illusion that the puzzle accomplishes an impossible task.
In such configuration, the fold-through puzzle includes a single sheet base having a planar member with a defined center point. Such an embodiment further comprises a first corner, a second corner, a third corner, and a fourth corner. Such configuration results in a first edge connecting the fourth and first corners, a second edge connecting the first and second corners, a third edge connecting the second and third corners, and a fourth edge connecting the third and fourth corners. The planar member has a first surface and a second surface. The operation of such an embodiment is best understood by first identifying a number of points on the surface of the puzzle.
The sheet base may include a center point of the planar member, a first primary midpoint at the midpoint of the first edge, a second primary midpoint at the midpoint of the second edge, a third primary midpoint at the midpoint of the third edge, and a fourth primary midpoint at the midpoint of the fourth edge.
There may be a first secondary midpoint at the point along the first edge at the midpoint between the fourth corner and the first primary midpoint and a second secondary midpoint at the point along the first edge at the midpoint between the first primary midpoint and the first corner. There may be a third secondary midpoint at the point along the second edge at the midpoint between the first corner and the second primary midpoint and a fourth secondary midpoint at the point along the second edge at the midpoint between the second primary midpoint and the second corner. There may be a fifth secondary midpoint at the point along the third edge at the midpoint between the second corner and the third primary midpoint and a sixth secondary midpoint at the point along the third edge at the midpoint between the third primary midpoint and the third corner. There may be a seventh secondary midpoint at the point along the fourth edge at the midpoint between the third corner and the fourth primary midpoint and an eighth secondary midpoint at the point along the fourth edge at the midpoint between the fourth primary midpoint and the fourth corner.
There is a first tertiary midpoint at the midpoint of a line connecting the first primary midpoint and the second primary midpoint, a second tertiary midpoint at the midpoint of a line connecting the second primary midpoint and the third primary midpoint, a third tertiary midpoint at the midpoint of a line connecting the third primary midpoint and the fourth primary midpoint, and a fourth tertiary midpoint at the midpoint between the fourth primary midpoint and the first primary midpoint.
Reference to the abovementioned points identifies at least one incision through the square planar member. There is a first incision through the square planar member connecting the fourth tertiary midpoint and the center point of the square planar member and a second incision through the square planar member connecting the first tertiary midpoint and the center point of the square planar member. There is a third incision through the square planar member connecting the second tertiary midpoint and the center point of the square planar member and a fourth incision through the square planar member connecting the third tertiary midpoint and the center point 999 of the square planar member.
Reference to the abovementioned points identifies fold and pivot lines, about which the puzzle is manipulated in order to give rise to the puzzle illusion. The single planar member displays a plurality of fold lines, such that there may be a first fold line connecting the second secondary midpoint and the first tertiary midpoint and a second fold line connecting the third secondary midpoint and the first tertiary midpoint. There may be a third fold line connecting the fourth secondary midpoint and the first tertiary midpoint and a fourth fold line connecting the fifth secondary midpoint and the second tertiary midpoint. There may be a fifth fold line connecting the sixth secondary midpoint and the third tertiary midpoint and a sixth fold line connecting the seventh secondary midpoint and the third tertiary midpoint. There may be a seventh fold line connecting the eighth secondary midpoint and the fourth tertiary midpoint and an eighth fold line connecting the first secondary midpoint and the fourth tertiary midpoint.
The single planar member displays a plurality of pivot areas, such that there is a first pivot area having a first side defined by the first edge, a second side defined by the second fold line, a third side defined by the second incision, a fourth side defined by the first incision, and a fifth side defined by the eighth fold line, the first pivot area additionally having a first surface and a second surface.
There is a second pivot area having a first side defined by the second fold line, a second side defined by the second edge, a third side defined by the third fold line, a fourth side defined by the third incision, and a fifth side defined by the third incision, the second pivot area additionally having a first surface and a second surface.
There is a third pivot area having a first side defined by the third edge, a second side defined by the fourth fold line, a third side defined by the third incision, a fourth side defined by the fourth incision, and a fifth side defined by the fifth fold line, the third pivot area additionally having a first surface and a second surface.
There is a fourth pivot area having a first side defined by the seventh fold line, a second side defined by the first incision, a third side defined by the fourth incision, a fourth side defined by the sixth fold line, and a fifth side defined by the fourth edge, the fourth pivot area additionally having a first surface and a second surface.
Reference to the abovementioned fold and pivot lines also identifies corner areas of the puzzle. The single planar sheet displays a plurality of corner areas such that there is a first corner area having a first side defined by the first edge, a second side defined by the second edge, a third side defined by the second fold line and a fourth side defined by the first fold line, the first corner area additionally having a first surface and a second surface.
Additionally, there is a second corner area having a first side defined by the third fold line, a second side defined by the second edge, a third side defined by the third edge, and a fourth side defined by the fourth fold line, the second corner area additionally having a first surface and a second surface.
Similarly, there is a third corner area having a first side defined by the sixth fold line, a second side defined by the fifth fold line, a third side defined by the third edge, and a fourth side defined by the fourth edge, the third corner area additionally having a first surface and a second surface.
Lastly, there is a fourth corner area having a first side defined by the first edge, a second side defined by the eighth fold line, a third side defined by the seventh fold line and a fourth side defined by the fourth edge, the fourth corner area additionally having a first surface and a second surface.
As the mechanism of the puzzle illusion is the creation of an apparently endless numbers of pass-throughs, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the manipulation of the puzzle may be begun in many possible orientations. By way of example and not limitation, the puzzle may be successfully manipulated in the following steps, with folding and pivoting directions given in relation to the puzzle solver facing the puzzle.
The puzzle solution may begin with the puzzle solver facing the planar member from the first planar member first surface. The first manipulation may be of pivoting the first pivot area backwards and upwards, by simultaneously folding the fourth corner area along the seventh fold line and the first corner area along the second fold line, such that the fourth corner area lies behind the fourth pivot area and the first corner area lies behind the second pivot area. Next, the puzzle solver pivots the third pivot area downwards by simultaneously folding the second corner area along the third fold line and the third corner area along the sixth fold line, such that the second corner area lies behind the second pivot area and the third corner area lies behind the fourth pivot area. This exposes a portion of the first pivot area second surface, the second pivot area first surface, a portion of the third pivot area second surface, and the fourth pivot area first surface.
The puzzle solver next pivots the fourth pivot area to the left and the second pivot area to the right. This reveals all of the first pivot area second surface and the third pivot area second surface portion, as well as a portion of the fourth pivot area second surface and a portion of the second pivot area second surface.
The puzzle solver then pivots the first pivot area upwards and the third pivot area downwards, thus exposing the fourth corner area second surface, the first corner area second surface, the second pivot area second surface, the second corner area second surface, the third corner area second surface, and the fourth pivot area second surface. The puzzle is completed and returned to its original configuration by pivoting the fourth pivot area to the left and outwards by simultaneously folding the fourth corner area outwards and to the left, along the eighth fold line and the third corner area outwards and to the left along the fifth fold line; and then folding the second pivot area outwards and to the right by simultaneously folding the first corner area along the first fold line and the second corner area along the fourth fold line. This maneuver completes the puzzle and the illusion thereof and returns the puzzle to the opening configuration.
In the various embodiments, it is envisioned that the planar surface or surfaces of the puzzle will have generally cooperating sections of differing color, imagery or text; or some combination thereof; imprinted on them. The folding of the puzzle will cause a change in the relative positions of the cooperating sections so as to produce an arresting or amusing image to the puzzle viewer. Such cooperating sections may be formed with advertising indicia, such as text or imagery, or may be configured purely for the amusement of the viewer. Additionally, such cooperating segments may differ in the textural or other surface characteristics.